The invention relates to a heating device for testing integrated components, or to a high-temperature test chamber for semiconductor test structures. The heating device contains an inner casing which is arranged in the heating device and which surrounds a holding chamber. Furthermore, the heating device contains a heating element arrangement which itself contains a heat source for heating the holding chamber.
The heating device typically generates the heat from current, for example using heating wires or heating lamps. However, other heating principles are not ruled out. This heating device is used, in particular, for what are referred to as accelerated service life trials on semiconductor test structures in order to obtain definitive information about reliability and durability of technologies on which products are based, i.e. the technology qualification. For this purpose, test structures are operated at temperatures which are raised compared to the operating temperature and/or under electric loads (current/voltage) which are raised compared to normal operation, and the changes in the characteristic variables of the structure are observed. For example, for electromigration tests, a conductor track of a wiring plane of a semiconductor chip is subjected to high temperatures with a high current in an oven and the change in the ohmic resistance over time is measured, for example over days or weeks. Typical test temperatures are in the range from 225° C. to 350° C.
There are a large number of commercial heating devices. The following are differentiated, for example:                recirculation oven with circuit board which is fitted through the oven wall,        recirculation oven with circuit board insertion device in the hot region, and oven feedthrough, and        hotplate system with feedthrough circuit board which is fitted through the oven wall and a heating plate which is located in front of the components.        
All these heating devices have printed circuit boards for making contact with the integrated components arranged in the oven. There are printed circuit boards made of various materials, depending on the application temperature, for example ceramic, fiber-bound material or steel enamel. Mechanical and electrical contact is made with the printed circuit board and a base using, for example, spring contacts, press-in contacts, soldered points or conductive adhesive. However, none of these systems operates sufficiently free of faults. As a result, incorrect loading, data which cannot be evaluated and possibly incorrect information occur in some of the trials. The causes of the faults in the oven or heating devices are predominantly located in the associated systems with which the electrical connections between the test specimen and the loading/measuring electronics is established.
Some of the data supplied by the known systems is questionable due to, for example, contact problems and temperature deviations which are not detected. This often subsequent troubleshooting is time consuming. In a typical laboratory with an overall capacity of more than or equal to 3000 module locations, for example two engineers each devote approximately 10 percent of their working time to these problems which arise solely due to inadequacies in the systems. However, these engineers are supposed to test the circuits or component and not the systems. The technical problem with these stress trials is therefore reliable compliance with the desired stress conditions, in particular the temperature, and the correct measurement of the desired electrical parameters. In addition, the systems should be operator friendly, low maintenance and cost effective.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.